Education
(Research)University of Reading

The majority of our research falls into two areas: language and literacy in education, and improving equity and inclusion through education. We are part of the University's Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism.

We offer flexible modes of study designed to fit with your needs. Our PhD typically takes 3 years of full-time study or 4-5 years on a part-time basis. Both full-time and part-time variants are available for study in Reading, as well as PhD by Distance.

PhD by Distance students spend the majority of their time at another site and normally have a supervisor/mentor at their local site. There must be an academic rationale for this status to be granted and the University assesses each application on an individual basis.

We also offer our PhD Plus programme, which is designed to meet the specific needs of overseas lecturers who want to study for a PhD while learning about higher education in the UK and improving their teaching skills.

Training

You will be undertaking a number of generic research training modules as part of the Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP). In addition, all students take two research methods modules in the Institute of Education in their first year and may be taking further subject-specific training, for example as part of the SeNSS network.

The Graduate School

All postgraduate research students automatically become members of the University-wide Graduate School. The Graduate School's Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP) offers a rich array of training sessions and workshops which have been especially designed to help you gain the additional skills that will enable you to carry out your research professionally and effectively. The RRDP includes training sessions on research methods, writing academic papers, getting published, public engagement and career planning.

In addition to the RRDP, doctoral researchers will also have the chance to access the following development opportunities:

Preparing to teachA programme focused on the skills needed for teaching and learning activities.

Developing your potential as a leaderThis leadership programme is jointly run with the triple accredited Henley Business School.

Academic English Programme Supporting international students to develop their academic English skills with a range of classes and services.

PhD Plus A scheme designed to meet the specific needs of international lecturers who want to study for a PhD while improving their teaching skills and learning about higher education in the UK.

Careers

Our PhD students go on to work in academia as postdoctoral researchers, but also quickly find employment in widely varied fields with links to education in all its forms, be it scholastic, government policy, corporate, non-profit and public training strategy and all areas of the world that benefit from education in any format.

Dr Tomasz John, former PhD student at the Institute of Education said:

"I've had an outstanding experience as a doctoral student at the Institute of Education. I have been actively encouraged to take advantage of all opportunities to become a professional researcher through engagement not only with my own research but also with other students' areas of interests."

Research expertise in the Institute of Education

The quality of the University of Reading's research was recognised in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2014), the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, which placed the Institute of Education in the top quartile of Education departments in the UK. Over 80% of our research publications were rated as world leading or internationally excellent. The impact of our research on educational policy and practice in first and second language education was judged to be world leading.